


If only one could turn back time

by dany89



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, F/M, Gen, Getting to Know Each Other, Idiots in Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-24
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:00:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26627908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dany89/pseuds/dany89
Summary: “Lila!” Five called her name.Only then she realizes that she was still standing in the Academy’s kitchen. Diego used to tell her it was his second favorite room in the big house. The place where his Mum used to prepare pancakes for him, the last place the two of them had been together bevor everything came crashing down right before the first Apocalypse.***So Lila did go back to 2019, but she didn't quite find what, or who, she was looking for.
Relationships: Diego Hargreeves & Lila Pitts, Diego Hargreeves/Lila Pitts, Number Five | The Boy/Diego Hargreeves/Lila Pitts, Number Five | The Boy/Lila Pitts
Comments: 9
Kudos: 34





	1. New Alliances

**Author's Note:**

> Here we go - this is my first story in ages! 
> 
> Please don't be too harsh on me, for English isn't my first language.
> 
> I just love the way Diego & Lila interactivity in the show and would really love to see their relationship developing!
> 
> Hope you like and enjoy :)
> 
> PS. I'm writing with my feed school final exams coming up soon. It helped me so much to set my mind on something else!

„What are you doing in here? He’s gone.“

Lila’s ears started to ring. Just a tiny sound, but loud enough to distract her from the surrounding world. What did he mean by gone? Gone where? Gone when? Or at least… why now? Why now when she finally decided to return. After what felt like years but has only been an few months. 

She left Dallas in November 1963. She knew that The Hargreeves returned to their own timeline… her own timeline, as she discovered later in the time she jumped with the briefcase she took when she last saw him. When she opened the Briefcase to finally get back to him, she intended to arrive some time in Summer 2019, she actually didn’t care for an exact day. She just wanted to give him time to settle back in in his time. Lila never wanted him to forget her, but she figured maybe he needed some space. Their relationship was so intense and way too short… well, she didn’t know if one could actually call it an actual relationship, but Lila didn’t know what to call it instead, so she stuck with it. She had no idea if Diego considered her his girlfriend. But it was true, Lila did not lie to the Handler. She wished for him to be her boyfriend.

“Lila!” Five called her name. 

Only then she realizes that she was still standing in the Academy’s kitchen. Diego used to tell her it was his second favorite room in the big house. The place where his Mum used to prepare pancakes for him, the last place the two of them had been together bevor everything came crashing down right before the first Apocalypse. Diego once told her how he used to sneak out as a kid without Reginald knowing it. Just get out to get his head clear when his Dad gave him a hard time. He told her about the little trick one has to use on the door for it to open. That is what she did.

“Don’t you ever grow up, you little shit?” Her voice found her way back to her obviously. But right after the words got out, she regretted them. She came because she wanted to make things up with them, especially with Diego. And Lila knows who much he cares about his siblings. He would never admit it to them, but he told her. He told her in one of these Moments they shared in the Asylum. When they both went into their little bubble. The bubble where they could have talks about everything without anybody listening. Back then she didn’t know how that worked. Herb was actually the one who told her. He knows literally everything there is to know about the 43 Children that were born on October 1st, 1989. Since Lila was able to mimic all the powers she could sense in another person, she was able to manipulate the air around them so that no word got out to other people.

“Oh, I see you didn’t lose you sense of humor after all” Five replies with a smirk on his face. “What do you want Lila?”

“What do you mean gone?” 

“My idiot brother went after you. Honestly… I have no idea why. Oh, close your mouth dear, you look rather stupid like that. Sit down.” While talking he walked past her, closing the door she just entered through and started to make coffee. Lila angrily glanced at him but did as she was told. She pulls the nearest chair back but never takes her eyes off Five. She knows what he was capable of and doesn’t want to be surprised by him attacking while not paying attention.

She only got back to The Commission one time. For two reasons. First, to find out if the Hargreeves were alright and second if they had told her the truth about the women she used to call her Mother for quite a long time. Did she really lied to her nearly her entire life? Herb did answer both questions with “yes”. Besides that, he told her about her Powers, everything he found out after the Handler’s death. “You need to know” he always told her. And damn was he right. 

Five placed a mug in front of her. “Black, I recall.” It wasn’t a question. “So… where have you been? You just took off and there hadn’t been a sign of you here in this timeline.”

“You’ve been looking for me?” She has to admit that it was a good coffee, the best she had since Elliot’s in Dallas… feels like a lifetime ago.

“Is this how you have been raised?” Five raised an eyebrow while taking the seat opposite to hers. “Answering a question with another one?”

Lila took a deep breath. No fighting with him, she thought. Lila simply raised the Cup to her lips and smiles to Five. “Well, you know my mother.” She tells him.

“Good point.” Five couldn’t help but twist the corner of his mouth. “Yes, Diego and I have been looking for you. We tried to find out whether you have returned to this timeline at one point. When we couldn’t track you down, he got bitter once again. It was so annoying.”

Lila couldn’t help but start to smile again. He didn’t lie to her in that barn. He actually wanted her to stay back then. He went looking for her. 

“But where is he now?” 

“I truly have no idea. Up to 10 minutes ago I thought he found you at the Commission and the two of you just decided not to come back. At least that’s what the note that I got from you said.” 

“What the hell are you talking about? What fucking note?” She always slipped in her language when getting nervous.

“That one.” Five pulls out the little piece of paper he kept in his shorts. Lila recognizes it immediately. He offers it to her.

*I found L. Don’t come looking. D*

She turns the paper. “That’s it?” She looks at him incredulously. 

“Obviously. He never found you?”

“Obviously not.” Lila’s heart begins to beat quicker. Where the hell is Diego? Why would he lie to his family? And why did he stop looking for her?

“So…” Five takes a sip of his Coffee. Yep, he did manage to find the same blend as Elliot once had. “Why did you come here?”  
She hesitates, simply staring into the air and trying to imagine what it must have been like to sit here with siblings, having a mother to prepare breakfast, just being surrounded by people who care. 

“I – I just wanted what you guys offered me back at the barn.” Never would she tell Five how much she misses Diego. How she thinks of him lying awake at night and just wanted to be close to him, touch him, kiss him. No, that’s nothing Five needs to know. 

“Good. I hoped you’d say something like that. Let’s go.” He gets up from his chair and waits for her to do the same. 

“You knew this note was fake! You knew I would show up eventually!” Lila calls out. “Why didn’t you say something?”

“I didn’t know if I could trust you. It’s that simple. Last time I saw you, you tried to kill my family. I’m glad you’ve changed your mind about that.” Five gave her a little smile “And I can tell you really do care about my brother.”

Lila bits on her lips. That little son of a bitch. He was so good. She needs to watch her words. She really doesn’t want him to know exactly how much she cares about Diego. “What’s your plan?”

“We are going to visit the Commission. Herb owes me.” Five offers her his hand. Still not quite sure if she can totally trust him, Lila realizes. She was way too worried about Diego to turn Five’s offer down. A familiar blue light shows up and Five and Lila are gone, only leaving two empty coffee cups on the Hargreeves’ kitchen table.


	2. Just another job

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I have no idea what you’re talking about, you son of a bitch.” He spits the words, and some blood as well, towards the guy. At least he thinks it’s a guy. He needs to find out what he wants.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2 
> 
> Hope you enjoy :)

Diego knew it was a bad idea. A really bad one. He made quite a few mistakes in his life so far. Especially when he doesn’t think it trough, when he gets emotionally attached. 

“Don’t play dumb, asshole.” Diego feels another hit to his face and tastes blood filling up his mouth. How did end up like this? Being tied up on a ground. He actually doesn’t quite recall which year he was in. ‘One job’ they’ve told him back at the Commission. One Job and they would send him back to his family, to his own timeline. Lila would be there, they said. 

Lila. Thinking about her makes his stomach turn. He went after her. Wanted to know if she was okay. Wanted to see and talk to her. When he closes his eyes, he can see her, her smile, rolling her eyes about something stupid he said. Diego misses her. He totally does. But Lila wasn’t here. This becomes painfully clear to him when he feels another pain in his stomach.

But it was all a big lie. There was always a new job, a new assignment, a new killing. 

„What the fuck d- ?” Diego tries to cry out. But he wasn’t even able to finish the sentence. Another pair of fists find their way to his chest. Diego growls. 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, you son of a bitch.” He spits the words, and some blood as well, towards the guy. At least he thinks it’s a guy. He needs to find out what he wants. 

***

Diego is walking around in a city he doesn’t even remember the name of. Sometime in the mid 80’. He really doesn’t care what year it was exactly. There was no point in knowing. It has been a simple job. His target was a guy without a family and a boring job in a bank. Diego has no idea why the Commission wanted him dead, it sure has something to do with maintaining the time-space-whatever. He doesn’t want to think about this bullshit. He just completed his task. Shot the guy in the head and walked away. He refused to use his knifes. Diego couldn’t stand the thought of using his powers for useless killing.

This would be his last job, he keeps telling himself. After this one he would go looking for a way back home. Nobody ever gave him a Briefcase. Every time he completed a mission somebody would come and get him. That’s what he’s waiting for right now. He hears the familiar woosh of a Commission member appearing next to him. 

“Came to pick me up?” Diego gave the guy quick look. He wasn’t that big, wearing sunglasses and looked rather bored. Good, Diego thinks. It’s gonna be an easy catch. 

“I bet you would like that.” The guy lightly smiles. Diego raises an eyebrow. What the hell does that mean? He wasn’t able to wonder much longer. The next thing the felt was a hard punch to his head, and everything went black.

***

“Where is Five?” 

“What do you want from him?” Diego wasn’t able to hide his confusion. All of this was about Five? Again? Why the hell is his little brother so damn important to those Commission assholes? 

“That’s none of your business. Just tell me where he is.” 

“I don’t know! I haven’t talked to him in mo-“ he was again stopped by a hard hit. God that hurts. His head felt like it was going to burst any second now. Diego closes his eyes. All he wants right now was for the pain to stop.

“Stop lying! You can’t tell me you don’t know shit about your brother. He’s still a wanted man in the Commission. We want him back.”

“You really think Five cares enough to come and get me? Like you can build up some kind of trap?” Diego couldn’t help it and squeezes out a laugh. This guy totally doesn’t know anything about his family. “I’m definitely not important enough for him to come looking for me. You’ve picked the wrong guy.”

“Let’s just wait.” That was the last thing Diego heard before passing out again.

*** 

“What do you mean by You have no idea where he is now?” Of course, Five knows it was a rhetorical question. He couldn’t blame Herb. A whole lot of chances have been going on in the Commission after their defeat on the field in 1963. With the Handler and so many of her employees dead, he needed to sort out how to run this place. 

Lila hasn’t said anything so far. She just stands in The Handlers old office, arms crossed and thinking about the last time she had been in there, when the women who claimed to be her mother told her just another lie. One of so many, but this one chanced everything. She went after the Hargreeves because of the Handler told her Five killed her parents in the first place. She then set aside her feelings for Diego and was just driven by her pure hate for Five. He was to blame that her childhood had been taken away from her. 

Later, when she traveled through time, and for the first time in her life spent some actual time alone, she started to understand why Five had to do what he was told that time. It was his job, and his opportunity to get back to his family. If someone would offer her something like that now in order to get Diego back… she would not hesitate a second to take it.

“I’ve already told you…” Herb pauses as he answers Five’s question concerning the whereabouts of his brother. “I haven’t seen him in person since the day on the field.”

Five’s mind is racing. Herb must be mistaken. He glances at Lila. Since they’ve entered Herb’s office, she hasn’t said a word. He helped Diego get to the Commission in order to find her, but then he didn’t stay long enough to find out what Diego did just after arriving. Five didn’t want to be on Commission Grounds any second longer than necessary. He actually never wanted to take his brother, but his mood the days before they went was just unbearable. To be honest, Five expected Diego to be back a few days after he left him. Either because Lila didn’t want to be found or she just didn’t want him to be there. A few days later he received Diego’s message and just wanted to believe it. There had always been a little voice in his head, telling him it just couldn’t be that easy. And apparently it wasn’t. Five really hoped Diego was with her when he found Lila standing in the Academy’s kitchen only a few hours ago. 

“But you can find him? My mo- the Handler always knew how to find people.” Lila bits her lips. She really has to work on her emotions regarding the women who raised her. She throws a condescending look to Herb, as long as she remembers he always has been working for The Commission. 

“Well…” Herb pauses, his eyes scanning both Lila and Five. It was true he hasn’t talked to Diego since Dallas. “There have been rumors about a new Commission. Some people were able to get their hands on some of the Briefcases. Now we get notifications from all over the timelines about killings we didn’t order.” 

“And you think Diego joined that new Commission? That’s insane!” Lila almost yells at Herb. Diego hopping around time and space in order to randomly kill people? That is nothing she ever thought he could do. She never liked it. But it was what she was trained to do her entire life. Sure, Reginald did just about the same to Diego and his siblings, but he never told her that they were sent out to just kill. When the Academy went on missions, he assured her once that they always protected people. 

“It’s nothing Diego would do on purpose. Maybe he was forced to.” 

“Nice of you to join the conversation!” Lila viciously tells Five. 

“I didn’t say anything like that! Come on, you need to see something.” Herb jumps off his chair and walks past the two of them. “Well?” 

Lila rolls her eyes. She hates it when somebody just doesn’t tell her what she wants to know right away. 

“Just leave it.” Five hisses to her. “I don’t like it either but we have to find Diego to bring him home. Stay focused!” He was right. Everything that’s happened to her at The Commission has to be forgotten for the time being. 

Five and Lila follow Herb. The both know their way around that place, due to spending so much time here. Only a few people looked at the three of them while passing them by. Herb leads them to a small room filled with a huge screen. With a nod of his head, a women all dressed in grey leaves the room and closes the door behind her.

After they sit down, the screen begins to flicker and shows a room in a very poor black and white quality.

“We just received this moments before your arrival. I actually was planning to contact you.” Herb takes another long glance at Lila and Five and presses play.


	3. Powers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’ll ask this one very politely.” The guy with the mask gets closer to him. “Tell me where Number Five is and I’ll let you go.” While saying those last words he beats Diego in the face.
> 
> “Yeah, I totally believe that, asshole.” Diego spits out some blood on the ground. Damn it. He needs to find a way out of this shithole. “What do you want from him?”
> 
> “That’s none of your business.” Another hit to his chest that takes his breath away. “Talk.”

„Showtime, Asshole!“ Diego gasps as some really cold water was splashed into his face. He needs to open and close his eyes a few times. He takes a look around and notices he’s still in that shabby room, but now he’s sitting on a chair, still tied up, unable to use his hands. He groans. 

“We decided it’s time to send a message to your brother.” He just now notices the camera that’s placed in front of him. 

“Well come on, I have nothing to hide.” Diego scoffs.

“I’ll ask this one very politely.” The guy with the mask gets closer to him. “Tell me where Number Five is and I’ll let you go.” While saying those last words he beats Diego in the face.

“Yeah, I totally believe that, asshole.” Diego spits out some blood on the ground. Damn it. He needs to find a way out of this shithole. “What do you want from him?”

“That’s none of your business.” Another hit to his chest that takes his breath away. “Talk.”

“Can’t talk when I’m dead, can I?” Diego smirks. “Why didn’t you just do this to me in the first place? Why did it take you so long?”

“We just needed a few jobs done. And it would have been too risky to send our own agents out into the field.”

“I’ve been a scapegoat for you. You’ll hope Five’s gonna come for me.” It isn’t a question and he should have known. When those agents approached to him right after Five had left him in front of the Commission and told him they know what he was here for and they could help him find Lila… he should have known that it was a trap. But to be honest, finding Lila was all he wanted back then… actually, all he still wants. The thought of her was enough to make him feel a little better when he would have been alone. Right now it sure was enough to put a smile on his face. But he isn’t alone right now. 

“Looks like somebody doesn’t just has a pretty face.” 

“Yeah I’ve heard that one before!” Diego knows it would be better for him to keep his mouth shut. He regrets it immediately when he feels punches all over his body. Somebody grabs his hair and pulls his head back up from his chest, Diego is hardly able to open his eyes but manages a grin. 

“Now, pretty boy, tell me where Five is.”

“No way.” After that everything went black again.

***

Lila isn’t able to take her eyes away from the screen. Herb did pause the footage with Diego’s head holding up grabbed by the hairs, throwing a crooked grin into the camera. 

“What happened after that?” Does she really want to know? Well no, she doesn’t, but she needs to. Lila begs he is still alive, but if he wasn’t there was no need for Herb to show them the recording. 

“Does it matter? Diego is alive. We have to get him back.” Five feels awful. He knows he’s still a wanted man in the Commission, but what do a bunch of renegade agents want from him? Was it because he was part of killing the Handler? Herb’s voice approaches his ears.

“… that’s what we think they want you for.” Five shakes his head. His lack of reactions must have shown Herb that he didn’t notice him. “We think they want you to start a new Commission.” That makes total sense to Five. He was told so many times he is the best agent the Commission ever had. “Along with the footage we received a note addressed to you.”

Five was finally done sorting his thoughts and holds out his hand to the piece of paper Herb was offering him.

“What does is say?” Lila’s voice trembles lightly and she hopes no one would notice. 

It’s a simple trade. Your brother for you.  
Your choice  
TRC

“TRC?” They both looks confused at Herb.

“They call themselves The real Commission.” Five sighs. Of course, he would go and get his brother! That’s what he does. He protects his family no matter what. He wasn’t foolish enough to trust them, they’ll kill Diego anyway, there was no doubt in that. 

“Five! We need to get him out.” Lila really starts to lose it now. “Who cares what the fuck they’re calling themselves?” She takes her head in her hands and tries to calm herself down. She doesn’t want to yell at Five. She knows that they have to work together in order to find Diego, to bring him home. She doesn’t allow herself to think that they might not get to him in time. 

“Don’t you think I know that? I need to think.” Five’s head was spinning. First of all, they need to find out where Diego is hold captive. But it was hard following a thought when Herb was standing next to them constantly clearing his throat. “What the fuck is it Herb? There can’t be more!”

“I’m afraid there is.” Herb was holding a shabby Commission folder, offering it to Lila. Both Five and Lila know from the look of it that it belongs to the Commission. She stretches out her hand to take it from him. 

“Why is my name on it? Who was this made by?” There was this nagging thought in her head that she already knows the answer to that question “It was her, am I right?” There is no need for Herb to reply. She knows it was written by the women who called herself her mother.

***

“What does this mean?” Lila isn’t sure if she understands everything she just read. Curiously, Five takes the folder off her hands to read it himself. Lila could see his eyes widens while going through her file. Herb gives her a nervous look. “I have to admit, I’m actually not quite sure.” 

“Well, we know that you can mimic our powers, but it seems like the Handler found out you are also able to improve them.” This does not come unexpected. When he and his siblings fought Lila back in 1963, she was really powerful, given the fact that she just then came close to all of their powers, except his and Diego’s of course. 

“Well thanks, smartass, I’m quite capable of reading myself.” She glares at him angrily. “You think we can use this to free Diego?” A small spark of hope begins to glow in Lila. This has to mean something… 

“Well it’s worth a try.” Five gets up, rubbing his hands. “Come on, try to use my powers and try to make it better.” Lila couldn’t help it and grins broadly at Five. “You’ll wish I just try.” Instead of answering Five just rolls his eyes.

Lila takes a place opposite to Five and closes her eyes. She concentrates on her feelings just like the Handler always told her to do. Sense your opponent, find his secrets. All of them will try to keep it well hidden from you. You have to dig deeper than that. Lila hears the voice echoing in her head. She can’t recall how many times she heard those words as a child. 

And there it was. A small, blue glimmer in Five’s mind. Lila tries to wrap her mind around it. “Don’t fight it.” She demands. This was better. She feels Five opening up. He’s powerful. When she fought him in Dallas, Lila didn’t wanted to take all of his powers, she just wanted a small piece of it. That was different now. She opens her eyes to see a familiar blue light surrounding Five, Herb and herself and blinks all of them away without touching them.

“How – How did you do that?” Five couldn’t believe it. He always needs to hold tight to people he wants to jump with. 

“I don’t know. I just wanted it to happen, and it did apparently. What’s up Herb?” She can’t help but feels a little bit sorry for him, remembering her first jump. 

“Hmm… nothing, it’s no-…” Five taps his back while puking and offers him a tissue. “Take it easy, the first time always messes you up.” He takes a look around. Lila transported them just outside the Commission building. Impressive, he thinks. We can work with that.

“Good. Now that we figured out you can take advantage of my powers… How do we use it to find Diego?” Lila asks herself the same question since she read her file. 

“Oh, I think I can be of help with that particular Problem.” Herb’s voice finally came back. “Remember when I told you a few Briefcases vanished after the defeat on the field? We were able to track down the serial numbers of those. We know exactly when they have been used. Some of us wanted to go after them but I decided we keep our heads down and wait to see if it could be of any use. Apparently, I was right.” One can’t deny that there is a little bit of pride in his voice. 

Herb leads them back into the building and into another room filled with screens. “The last unauthorized use of a briefcase came in two days ago. It was used to get to New York in 1987. We think this could be it.” 

***

“He is here.” Lila throws a good look at the old factory building. It was a perfect place to hide. Nobody would come looking down here.

“How do you know this?” Five isn’t completely convinced. She gave him a knowing look “I just do. Trust me.” Lila always had good instincts. She prays for them not to fail her now. They had a plan. Enter the building, find Diego, jump out. It sounds so simple, but both Five and Lila know that it was never that simple. Never. 

They decided to start with the basement. The watched the tape over and over again to find some hint where to find Diego. The only thing they could agree on is that there probably was no window in the room. 

While getting deeper into the factory Lila gets nervous. She hopes they would find him in time and that they are not running right into a trap. She feels Five touching her arm. When Lila turns around to look at him he symbolizes her to be quiet. Then she hears it too. Her heart jumps to the sound of Diego’s loud moan. She feels the panic rising in her chest. “No.” Five whispers. “It could be a trap.” Lila is totally aware of this but her whole body just wants to run towards the sound of his voice. It sounds like he is in so much pain. But she is able to control her feelings. Five is right. They have to stick to the plan. 

Five walks past her, now leading. The voices were getting louder after passing another corner. Five could see a door standing open, a dim light shining into the corridor they are standing in. He glances to Lila and she nods while placing her hand on his shoulder. 

Five jumps them right into the room. They see Diego sitting on a chair, his hands tied up behind his back, a big guy with an indefinable mask covering his face. He keeps hitting Diego in his stomach.

“I’m not gonna tell you shit!” Diego’s voice was quite but still firm, Lila notices. 

“Well.” The masked guy chuckles “Seems like this is not necessary anymore.” He pulls Diego’s chair around so that they can see him face to face. Lila exhales sharply. Diego looks really bad, there was blood all over him, she tries to take a step forward but Five stops her by holding out his arm in front of her. 

“I’m here. Let him go.” He fixes him with his eyes, trying not to look to closely at his brother. He couldn’t allow himself to be distracted by the sight of him. He can feel Lila stiffen next to him. He just hopes she is able to control herself.

“Oh Number Five… you really think this is what’s gonna happen? That’s so cute.” Come on Lila. Just get us out of here. 

The Commission agent pulls out a gun, aiming it right at Diego’s head. “I’ll show you what happens when you guys keep me waiting.” He throws on quick look at Five and Lila. Then he pulls the trigger. 

*** 

It all happens so fast. Sure, they made up a plan and of course Lila agreed to it. But back than she didn’t realize how much is would distract her seeing Diego like this. The original plan was to get in, get in the same room as Diego, take Five powers, get them out. Is sounded so simple while making it up with Five.

And now she isn’t able to move, isn’t able even to make up one straight thought in her mind. All she could think of was how much she wants to hurt that guy for hurting Diego so bad. But until he pulls out the gun she isn’t able to do anything. But it’s too late. The bullet hits Diego’s head and Lila just watches it in shock. 

“No.” Hearing Five yell brings her back to reality. She needs to kill this guy. Like right now. She is so full of hate and pain and fury. “Lila! Go back! I’m handling him.” Go back? Hell yes! Five was right. They’ve talked about this as well. Five had told her how he was able to jump back in time in the barn to save his family from getting killed by the Handler. He did save her life too. She needs to try and it has to work. It just has to! Lila doesn’t want to lose Diego like this, not without telling him all the things she had been too cowardly to tell him back in Dallas. 

Lila mimics Five powers. He did warn her not to want to go back too far. Fifteen seconds should do it. When she opens her eyes again she was standing in the same room, but Diego was still alive. She needs to hurry. It takes Lila two quick kicks to get the guy away from Diego and to push him in Five’s direction, who easily puts him down and gets hand on his gun. 

“Fuck it Diego!! Wake up!” Lila holds his face in her hands. He is alive, she was totally sure about that. She unties him and he just falls down on the floor where she too is lying now, her arms wrapped around his body. She tried to protect him while falling down, but his head hit the ground. She discovers a new wound that opened up on his forehead as she wipes his hair away. His face is covered in blood. “No!” she whispers for only him to hear. “Please, Diego.”

“Lila come on; we need to go! Like, now!” Five feels the panic rising and he knows that they couldn’t stay any longer. The agent was still on the floor, but he starts to move again, and it wouldn’t been long before he would come around. “Please, you have to focus. Take my powers again and get us out of here. I can’t do this on my own.” His words bring Lila back to reality. Five was right. They have to move; they can’t stay here, or everything would have been in vain. 

Lila needs to let go of Diego in order to concentrate on Five’s powers. She feels him opening up right after she reaches out for it. Get out! Take Diego and Five and get out. Lila could feel blood running from her nose and a high pitched tone ringing in her ears, but she wouldn’t cut the string connecting herself to Five’s powers. From the corner of her eye she sees the masked agent getting on his feet, tripling towards them. He stretches his hand out for Five, but before he could grab him the blue light surrounded the three of them and they were gone. 

***

She manages to get them to the place they planned to meet Herb at. He is already waiting for them, the promised Briefcase that would get them home beside him. Lila scans the ground, slightly panicking, for Diego. He is lying only a few feet away from her, still breathing, she notices with relief, when she gets down beside him to check.

Five was already on his feet again. “I’m sorry we weren’t able to find out who the guy was. The only thing I was able to get my hands on was his gun. Maybe it can help you find out who he is.” 

“It’s okay.” Herb rejected “I’m glad the three of you got out. Now go home. We can talk another time.”

“Thanks Herb. I owe you.” Five turns to Lila. He finds her kneeling next to his brother. Diego looks like shit. For a brief moment he’s scared that they may have not been able to rescue him. But when he sees Lila wiping his hair off his face, he doesn’t see a bullet wound. He sighs in relief, but he knows they have to get him back to the Academy to treat him properly. Five doesn’t want to interrupt the intimacy between Lila and Diego but they really have to go. “Lila.” He tries to let his voice sound as soft as it could be and gently touches her shoulder “We need to take him home.”

Lila winces as Fives touches her. She hadn’t even noticed him talking to her. Her eyes are fixed on Diego. He looks bad, his eyes pressed together as if he were in pain. When she touched his cheeks his expression didn’t chance. She knows Five is right but she isn’t able to speak, so she just nods to show she understands him. Lila places Diego’s head carefully into her lap trying not to hurt him more and reaches out to find Five’s hand being offered her, the other hand holding Diego’s hand tightly. Five gives her a smile and opens the Briefcase.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd love to know what you think :)
> 
> Enjoy :)


	4. Welcome Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lila gave him a little smile “To be honest… I have no idea.” And she isn’t lying about that. She has no idea when she last did those things. She was so concerned about Diego that she just couldn’t think about anything besides him right now.
> 
> “Good for you, you now have a sort of a family.” Five winks. He offers her a bottle of water and a grilled cheese sandwich. He sees the disbelieving look in her eyes. “Go on, take it. You can’t help him like that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go! The last Chapter :) Hope you enjoy reading it! Please tell me what you think!

Okay, so this is what being dead feels like. At least he thinks so. Diego didn’t expect this after Klaus kept telling him that death was cold and frightening. What he senses right now was warm and smooth and almost cozy. He wants to enjoy this feeling a little bit longer, doesn’t want to open his eyes. He feels somebody watching him, but fears that it would be Ben, or even worse, his Father. No, he decides. Diego keeps his eyes shut a little while longer and shortly after that drifts back to sleep.

***

Lila is worried sick about Diego still being unconscious. For hours she recalls what happened in that room yesterday. What if she hadn’t been able to travel back in time and stopped that bullet? She saw him get shot right through the head the moment after he traded his life for hers and Five’s. Lila wasn’t sure if he had believed that the Commission would just let them go afterwards. She knows he would have done it anyway.

For a long time, she just sat at the edge of his bed, too scared to even touch him. He looks really bad, she thought. His face is covered in hematomas, his lip and one eye badly swollen. Lila feels tears rolling down her cheeks. She really doesn’t care whether one of Diego’s siblings see her crying. They show up every now and then, checking in on him and her. All of them at least gave her a smile or squeezed her shoulder when coming to Diego’s room. And fortunately, none of them wanted to stay, well, expect Klaus. But Five was able to talk him out of it. 

A firm knock on the door tears her out of her thoughts. Lila takes a deep breath and gets up to open the door. After rising, she has to close her eyes so that the world stops to turn around her. Before her head hits the ground, two small but firm hands caught her. 

“Wow, watch out there.” Five manages to catch Lila before she could hurt herself. He notices that she had been crying. He wasn’t sure if he could offer her any comfort, so he just helps her sit upright. “Damn it Lila, you look like shit! When did you last sleep or eat something?”

Lila gave him a little smile “To be honest… I have no idea.” And she isn’t lying about that. She has no idea when she last did those things. She was so concerned about Diego that she just couldn’t think about anything besides him right now.

“Good for you, you now have a sort of a family.” Five winks. He offers her a bottle of water and a grilled cheese sandwich. He sees the disbelieving look in her eyes. “Go on, take it. You can’t help him like that.”

“Thanks.” Is Five really being nice to her? She loves Grilled cheese, did he know or did he just guess? Maybe Diego told him before. Lila just realizes how hungry she actually has been, it tastes so good.

“How is he doing?” Five turns his head to his brother, his voice was full of care. 

“He still didn’t regain consciousness. But I think he’s getting better. He breaths calmly and looks more relaxed.” Lila feels her chest tightening again as always when she observes him closely, her eyes filling up with tears again.

“Hey.” Five takes her hand, she forces herself to look right into his eyes. “He’ll come around. He always does. It’s Diego! Don’t worry, I’ve seen him looking far worse.” Five let a smile cross his face, wondering if she would let him hug her. He doesn’t try though. 

Lila manages to give him a little smile. She really appreciates that he was trying to cheer her up. “He’ll better come around, otherwise I might kill him.” Five chuckles, stands up and holds his hand towards her in order to help her up too. Lila gratefully accepts is. She still feels a little dizzy, but the food helped.

“Lila, you need to rest. I can stay and watch him. Go and get some sleep.” She knows he only means well, but still… “No, I can’t leave him.” Five sighs. Lila is so perfect for Diego. Both are so goddamn stubborn.

“Fine. But I’ll come back to check on you.” 

“Thanks, Five.” Lila closes the door behind him. She realizes how tired she is. Rubbing her eyes, she got back on the edge of his bed. Diego lies on his back, not looking in pain right now, breathing steadily. Lila is still scared of touching him and she has no idea why. Is she scared that this might weak him up? She wants him to wake up, truly. But this may means talking to him too, and the two of them haven’t talked in month. What if he gets angry with her and doesn’t what her to be anywhere near him? But Lila misses the sound of his voice, the way it calms her down and makes her feel safe. The urge to touch him grows bigger, as well as her need to sleep. 

This is when she finally decides to just give it a shot. Lila lifts up the blanket covering him and immediately starts to shiver. Those Commission Assholes did beat him up really bad.   
While his siblings had been tending to his wounds, Five wouldn’t had let Lila anywhere near him. “Come on, let them work on him.” He told her and dragged her out of the room. A huge bandage covers his chest. She only can imagine that underneath a few ribs have been broken. Diego’s wrists are damaged but wrapped up too. Lila lowers herself next to him. She just wants to be near him now. She puts her head on his shoulder, with him still not moving.

“Come on, Diego. Don’t be so goddamn stubborn! Please just wake up.” She feels tears running down her face again. Lila nestles her head even closer to his chest, wrapping her arms around him, allowing herself to relax next to him. God, she was so tired, and it feels so good to be close to him again.

“Don’t you dare leave me now, stupid.” She whispers into his chest and presses a light kiss where her lips touch his bare skin “I love you.” Finally, she falls asleep.

***

Diego takes a breath. Well, he wanted it to be deep, but that hurts too much. Why does he feel pain? Wasn’t that supposed to be the good part of being dead? No pain? He should have talked to Klaus more about death and such things. Diego hopes he was able to see and talk to Klaus again. But that would mean opening his eyes. There is no need to be scared, he keeps telling himself. At least Lila and his family are safe. The thought of Lila makes him sad; he would never be able to talk to her again. He couldn’t stand the thought that all the things he still needed to tell her have to be said to her by Klaus. But he can’t change the past. He has to go on with what would be his life from now on.

Diego opens his eyes. He needs to blink, but it takes him only a few moments to realize where he was. His old room at the Academy, lying in his old bed. He tries to move. That’s when the pain hits him hard. His head hurts really bad and he just can’t breathe properly. So he’s not dead after all, he decides. But why? He’s seen the guy pulling the trigger after that his memory went blank. Once again, he tries to move but the weight on his chest wouldn’t let him. Diego glanced down and what he sees takes him by surprise. He recognizes her dark hair, even if it covers all of her face. He knows. “Lila” he whispers, and immediately begins to shiver. She is here. She is with him, lying next to him. Whatever happened, what he isn’t able to remember – it worked. 

Her face was lying on his chest, her arm around him. He wants to touch her face so bad, but he fears that if he moves too much it would wake her up. He chooses not to risk that, he bets she needs to sleep too, and his head was still hurting like hell. With a smile on his face he just puts his head down, trying to reach her head to press a light kiss on it and goes back to sleep. Now knowing that he was quite many things, but dead isn’t one of them.

***

Five keeps his promise. Every now and then he checks in on Diego and Lila during the next few hours. Seeing them lying together in Diego’s bed, both sleeping, puts a smile on his face. He really hopes everything will work out just fine for them now. 

*** 

Lila wakes up after what feels like ages. She couldn’t remember the last time she had quite such a good sleep. She wouldn’t give Diego all the credits, but she knows it has a great deal to do with him. Lying on his chest feels so good, she was even able to imagine feeling his hand fondle her head which just made her cuddle against him even more. 

“Ouch. Didn’t I tell you to be gentle before?” Lila’s eyes widen up. 

“Diego!” She sits up so she can look at him properly. “You’re awake!” Lila knows how crazy that must have sounded, but she just couldn’t help it. 

“Yeah, yeah, I guess I am.” Diego smiles at her. For so long he wanted to see her again, to be able to talk to her, touch her, kiss her. “Hey wh- what’s wrong with you.” Tears are filling up Lila’s eyes, he could see it. “Come here.” He puts his arm out for her and drags her close to him again. “It’s okay. It’s gonna be fine.” Diego kisses her on the head, his eyes closing whilst doing so. God, he missed her so much.

Lila doesn’t want to start crying. It just was too much for her to process. He was alive and he was talking to her, and above all, he doesn’t seem to be angry with her for running away. She gladly lowers herself back to his chest where she feels so safe and loved. After a few moments she feels her tears stopping to fall and lifts her head again. Looking Diego right in the eyes. Those eyes she longed to see again for such a long time. 

“I know.” Lila smiles at him lovingly. She raises her head for the two of them to look into one another’s eyes directly. She could see the smile that crossed Diego’s face and feels the warmth all over her chest when he does something like that. She lowers her head towards his and presses a kiss on his lips. Diego feels so relieved when her lips finally touched his and returns her kiss. 

When Lila finally lets go of him, she takes his hands into his hands, stocking his cheeks and whilst placing her forehead on his she murmurs “Welcome home, Love."


End file.
